What are some barriers to using cannabis for medical purposes?
Besides the potential for criminal penalties for the possession, cultivation, or distribution of cannabis, the legal status of cannabis creates many barriers for those who could benefit from its medical use. 1. Healthcare practitioner support. It is important for patients to be able to tell their doctors about the different treatments and therapies they are using. A recent study shows that family physicians adopt a ‘don’t ask’ attitude toward their patients’ use of cannabis and that most patients ‘don’t tell’ their physicians whether they are using it. Patients report that obtaining their physician’s support is one of the biggest barriers they face in obtaining a license for Health Canada’s program, or in becoming a client of a compassion club. Physicians report that they do not have adequate knowledge of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis and are reluctant to associate themselves with this product because of its illegality and associated stigma. Professional associations across the
